A monument dedicated to the Finnish Tatar community who served and lost their lives for Finland during the wars of 1939 – 1945.
A monument dedicated to the Finnish Tatar community who served and lost their lives for Finland during the wars of 1939 – 1945.
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Finland is by no means a melting pot of diversity, but I find it fascinating how we had christians, jews, muslims, communists and nazis all fighting against the Soviet invaders. The weirdest story has to be the one regarding the jewish Finnish soldiers being awarded the Eisenkreutz (which they, quite naturally, did refuse).
Anyway, would be nice if we found other reasons than a common enemy, on which to build more national unity.
For anyone who is interested, this monument is located in the Helsinki Islamic Cemetery, which is part of the [Hietaniemi Cemetery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hietaniemi_Cemetery).
Somewhat related, Finland’s only [purpose-built mosque](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A4rvenp%C3%A4%C3%A4_Mosque) (as opposed to another building that was converted into a mosque) was built by Tatars in Järvenpää in the 1940s.
Finland is deep down a [Turkic nation](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turanism), so this is only natural.
Never forget.
This shows that multiculturalism is not new in finland, tho smaller, we have always had religious and ethnic minorities. see: buddhist kalmyks and muslim tatars. Lets better this place!
There is also a monument for the Finnish Roma soldiers who were KIA in Winter War and Continuation War. It is located at the Hietaniemi cemetery in Helsinki (which is next to the Muslim and Jewish cemeteries). It is called “Murtunut kärrynpyörä”, “The Broken Cartwheel”. Finland is the only country in the world that has this kind of a monument.
There were about 500 – 600 Finnish Roma men serving at the front, mostly as horsemen (horse minders and drivers). 50 – 60 of them died at the front (about 10 %).
I remember when this monument was revealed in 2003.
https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiedosto:Sodissa_1939-1945_kaatuneiden_romanien_muistomerkki,_Hietaniemen_hautausmaa_Helsinki.jpg
https://kuvataiteilijamatrikkeli.fi/teos/romanien-sankarimuistomerkki-2003-hietaniemen-hautausmaa-helsinki
I didn’t know of this but as a Finn it makes me proud to see multiculturalism was honoured even back then. It shows Finland has a progressive and democratic view on human rights and so on, something to be cherished and further strengthened in our modern times😎
Kunnia
🫡
❤️
Is that on finland? If so, do you know why the name is on spanish?
Respect 🫡